Where I Belong
by Ryna-chan
Summary: [PoR] He stared blankly, calculating all the possibilities of his maternal parents would be like. His mother would have the long flowing black hair, his father would have the pale skin and sickly look, and both of his parents would have blood red eyes...


**I started this story a long time ago, and it looked kinda cute, so I finished it. Uh, and a ****warning****: if you are ****disgusted**** by ****cute**** things like a bunny with a pink ribbon, or ****friendship**** stories, I suggest hitting that back button; this story will make your eyes burn. Um, so…Here you go. **

**I don't own Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance. If I did, Soren would have more people to support with; like Oscar! Or Mist…? Hm, maybe not.**

* * *

"How do beorc reproduce?" 

"WHA…?" Greil sputtered his tea as he looked down at a six-year-old Soren. "What did you say?"

The raven haired child sighed heavily. His shoulder length ebony hair made a small curtain for his large exasperated crimson eyes. "I asked: How do beorc reproduce?" He stated calmly once again, quickly masking his irritation.

The man gulped nervously. He didn't suppose he would have to explain where babies come from for another five years. His seven-year-old son, Ike, still believed that girls had cuties, and the stork delivered infants from home to home.

The same Ike was playing with a doll holding a wooden stick as a sword. He stopped his small game and looked questionably at Soren and asked in a high voice, "What's "wepowduce"?"

Young Soren smiled slightly, looking at the cobalt. He had something of a soft spot for the innocent and naïve seven-year-old. "It's how-"

"OKAY!" Greil threw his large arms into the air, slightly scaring the two children. "Who's ready for some lunch?"

"I AM!" Ike cried loudly, everything else forgotten, dropping his doll and sword. The blue eyed youth dashed to the kitchen where his mother, Elena, was.

Leaving Soren and the swordsman to themselves.

"Mr. Greil." The youngster tried again, almost pleading with his red orbs. "I want to know."

"Eh…ah, well…" The brunette shifted in his large chair, sweat appearing on his face. _How can a child who didn't even __know__ how to speak a couple of months ago know that word?!_ "Where did you hear that, anyway?"

"I read it in this book." Soren stated plainly, lifting a large hardback. "It said that dogs and other animals reproduce out of instinct. Beorc and laguz do not."

"Yes…well…" Greil rubbed his forehead; he had a headache forming. _He just has to read everything…_ "The birds and the bees…?"

The raven head stared.

"Uh, when a man and woman love each other very much-"

"Wait." Soren lifted a small pale hand. "_Woman_ and _man_? It's the same as the animals then."

The swordsman blinked. _Was he actually thinking that men have—_

A small frown graced the petite light face. "Thank you for your time." He said plainly but politely, a slight aura of sadness enveloping the raven headi.

"But I didn't tell you-"

Soren had left before Greil could even finish his sentence.

"…how babies are made."

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Soren sat motionless underneath the large oak tree near the small log house on the outskirts of Gallia. "So I had a mother _and_ a father at one time," He stared blankly, calculating all the possibilities of his maternal parents would be like. His mother would have the long flowing black hair, his father would have the pale skin and sickly look, and both of his parents would have blood red eyes…

"Soren?" Ike popped his head from behind the tree and grinned at his best friend. He had a bit of crust on the corners of his mouth indicating the cobalt's lunch of a sandwich. "What are you doing?"

"Thinking," The raven head answered honestly, allowing Ike to sit beside him on the cool grass. And knowing what Ike was going to ask next, Soren added, "About my parents."

The seven-year-old nodded sagely, earning a startled look from the younger boy. "I knew you missed your mommy and daddy." He stated matter-of-factly.

"I never knew them."

Silence befell the two children. Ike's sapphire eyes widened considerably with the new information that he gained. _Not know them?_ He looked to Soren, and saw glazed eyes.

The raven head wanted to cry.

Immediately, Ike's protective instincts kicked in, wanting to shield the other boy from any harm. He embraced the much smaller child entirely, whispering words of comfort that his mother and father would use for the cobalt many times.

This, however, was quite comical, because the words of "your owie will go away" or "real men don't cry" weren't quite the terms needed given the circumstance.

Despite the terrible attempt to soothe Soren, the raven head smiled through his unshed tears. "T-thank you…" he murmured, gently pushing himself away from the cobalt, "I was just wondering where I came from…and where I belong"

Poor simple Ike beamed, "Duh, you came from a stork!"

Soren slapped his petite forehead in exasperation, actually turning the small mark located there into a deeper shade of scarlet. "It's not-"

"And you belong with me!"

The six-year-old drew a sharp intake of breath. "W-with…you," He breathed, staring into large pools of blue. "I belong…here?"

Ike laughed at the shocked expression of the younger child. "Where else?" He exclaimed, hugging Soren tightly and then released him, "Who's gonna teach me to read all those big books, play school with me, or watch Mist with me?"

The raven head chuckled, reaching up to ruffle the bright blue locks of hair, "Or who's going to keep you out of trouble?"

"Yep!"

Soren gave the widest grin he could manage, "I guess I could stay," he said with mock indifference, "So I can tell you what "reproduce" means."

Ike listened eagerly to Soren as he told him all that he had read in a book…


End file.
